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N.PETERS, PllomllTHOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON, D C.

"lll @FARB Fefltllilbltlt" P. J. CLARK, OF WEST MERIDEN, GONNFICrllCIT, ASSIGXOR TL) S. S. CLARK, OF SAME PLACE.

SKATE-FASTENING.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 31,348, dated February 5, 1861; Ressued August To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, I). J. CLARK, of lest Meriden, in the-county of New Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Skate-Fas tenings; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the accom- .panying drawings, in which- Figure l, represents a perspective view I of said skate fastenings. Fig. 2, represents a cross section through the devices by which the skate is fastened to the ball of the foot. Fig. 3, represents a longitudinal vertical section through the heel fastening. Fig. Il, represents a detached view hereafter to be referred to.

My invention relates to the particular manner of securing a skate to the foot, by either clamping it to the sole and heel of a boot or shoe, if the sole of said boot or shoe is sufiiciently thick and rigid to afford a good fastening, and by using straps in combination with said clamps if the boot or shoe is not sufficiently stout or does not fit sufliciently tight to the footy to afford a secure fastening by clamps only, said clamps being of such a construction, as that the straps can be readily attached to or detached from them, without modifying their construction.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to de scribe its construction and operation.

My skate is secured to the foot by means of two clamp plates, one of which is secured to the sole of the boot or shoe at the ball of the foot, and the other of which is secured to the heel. I will first describe the ball clamp.

A, represents a circular plate on which the sole of the boot or shoe rests. B, represents another plate which is secured to the lower side of the plate A, by means of the screws a., or otherwise. The hanger C, eX- tends downward from the plate B, and has a notch l), cut in its lower end, into which the runner is to be inserted, and wherein it is to be fastened by means of a rivet or screw which passes through the holes C, the runner being represented in the drawings in red lines at D.

E, E, represent two sliding blocks, which can be moved in suitable grooves in the plate B, and to which the two clamps'F, F, are hinged, which are to catch over and fasten to the sides or edges of the sole of the boot or shoe. The blocks E, E, and clamps F, are moved toward or from each other by means of a right and left handed screw G, which is prevented from moving longitudinally by means of a collar d, which turns within a suitable recess within the hanger C. The screw Gr, has a square head cut ou' one end to which a key can be applied, and by means of which said screw can be turned. and thus the clamps F, can be drawn and fastened to the edges of the sole to any degree of tightness-and as they are hinged or pivoted to their blocks by means of screws or pivots L, and can turn freely on said pivots they will adapt themselves to the shape of the sole when they are drawn together. Should the sole not be sufficiently thick or rigid, as in ladies shoes, or'should the boot and shoe not fit sufficiently tight to the foot to afford a secure fastening of the skate thereto, without the use of a strap, then the device represented in Fig. fl, may be used instead of the clamps F. To use this, the clamps F, are removed by simply unscrewing the. screws it, and the clamps I-I, are inserted in their places, and secured to the' blocks E, by the screws 7L. The shape of these clamps is somewhat different from that of the clamps F, as their sides 7c, are parallel to and lie close against the edges of the soles without pressing their edges into said soles, as is the case in the clamps F.

K, represents a strap, the two ends of which are secured to the lower sides of the clamps II, and which passes around or over the instep of the foot as represented at Fig. 2; by turning the screw G, this strap, when applied to the foot in the above described manner, and in lieu of the clamps F, can be secured thereto to any degree of tight ness, the turning of the screw tightening up said strap K.

The construction of my heel clamp is as follows :s-L, represents a plate on which the heel rests, its front edge is bent up so as to bear against the straight front side of the heel. m, represents another plate, which is secured to the lower side of the plate L, by means of the screws o, or otherwise, a hanger M, extends downward from the plate m, and

the rear end of the runner l), is secured to it, in a similar manner, as itsfront part is secured to the hanger C.

N, represents a clamping plate, which is intended to clamp the rounded rear side of the heel, its horizontal hollow shank O fits within a corresponding cavity of the hanger M, and can be moved therein by means of a screw P, Fig. 3; this screw is prevented from moving longitudinally by means of a pin s, which passes through the plate m, and through a circumferential groove in the round head of said screw. 1, represents the square head which can be turned by the application of a key. As in the front fastening an additional strap may be used in the heel fastening, if the boot or shoe should not have a heel, or fit sufficiently tight to secure the skate by clamps only. The ends of this strap Q, are hung to buttons, knobs, or hooks p, which extend horizontally from both sides of the plate L, the strap Q, passing around the instep of the foot. The manner in which I secure and tighten this strap is as follows z-One end of the strap Q, has a hole cut into it, and is buttoned or hooked on to one of the buttons or knobs y), the other end is mounted with a metal fastening g, which is connected by a screw R, with another fastening S, which has slotted holes 25, cut into it, and which can be hooked on to the other knob p, by then turning the screw R, by means of a key, the instep strap can be tightened at pleasure.

The advantages of these skate fastenings are that the runner will always be held in the center line of the foot, and that it cannot slide sidewise, that these fastenings can be used either by the sole application of the clamps, or by the combined application of the clamps or straps, according to the construction of the boots or shoes towhich they are to be fastened, and that when used with straps, the inconvenience of these straps will not be felt so much by reason of their screw fastenings as when they are fastened by means of buckles, as the screws permit the finest adjustments, and afford the means of securing the straps firmly without cramping the foot, which cannot always be done, with buckle fastenings.

I-Iaving thus fully described the nature and object of my invention, I would state that, do not claim broadly fastening a skate to the boot or shoe, by clamps catching over the sole and heel thereof, as this has been done before, nor do I claim the heel fastening herein represented, but

What I do claim as new and desire to secure by- Letters Patent is- In combination with the plate A, and slides E, E, and their pivoted and removable fastenings F, F, as herein described, the right and left hand screw G, and restraining nut d for drawing saidA fastenings up tightly to the boot or shoe, or for drawing up the clamps and instep strap together the whole being arranged under the ball of the foot substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein set forth and eX- plained.

P. J. CLARK.

Witnesses:

LEwIs J oNEs, GEORGE W. ROGERS. 

